Smart Glass at DFW Airport: It’s more than just looking through rose-colored glasses

Waiting for your flight under the blistering Texan sun? The heat making the waiting experience even more unbearable and excruciating? Well, if you’re one of the lucky few by Gate A28 in Dallas-Fort Worth Airport where smart glass was installed last autumn, you’d be happy to know that you’re safe from the glaring heat. The electrochromatic smart glass at DFW Airport, America’s fourth-busiest airport, adapts its opacity levels to sunlight and can better manage temperature than regular glass, which prevents overheating and provides a cooler atmosphere for the comfort of weary travellers.

Located near a burger joint’s east-facing bar in the airport, the smart glass creates a noticeably chiller vibe. In fact, the burger restaurant saw a boost in alcohol sales over the past year, up 80 per cent in October 2017 from October 2016. The smart glass at DFW Airport was the only difference to the restaurant. Turns out travelers are more willing to order a second pint from the burger joint if they are relaxed and not uncomfortable from the heat.

The smart glass is manufactured by the Silicon Valley-based company View Inc. The company claims its product will contribute to lower cooling costs and improve customer satisfaction, thanks to the more natural light and better thermal comfort created by the glass’ transitional tints. A study from Cornell University of the smart glass at DFW Airport confirms View Inc’s claims. Researchers found that surface temperatures of seats by Gate A28 were 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit lower, making them more comfortable to sit on. There were also an 83 per cent increase of dwelling time and a 102 per cent increase in concession spending by Gate A28 compared to areas where the smart glass was not installed. Evidently, installing the smart glass at DFW Airport was a lucrative move.

Rahu Bammi, View Inc’s chief business officer, said, “We spend 90 per cent of our time indoors. The things that really matter are light, air quality, temperature and sound. We impact at least three of those in a positive way.”

Are you also engaging in research activities to improve the light, air quality, temperature and sound of our great indoors? Did you know your experiments, even those that were unsuccessful, could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you could receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

The path toward enhanced opportunities and economic growth in Mississippi’s private sector begins in secondary and elementary education, then continues through the workforce training abilities of the state’s astounding community college system and on to the Research and Development (R&D) prowess of the higher education system. [...]